Blind
by flier
Summary: Something has changed about the boy that made life hell, but only one sees it. What will happen when the old boy friend and girl friend reunite? R&R please!
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer:**The characters and locations used here are NOT MINE! I owe them to J.K. Rowling. She owns them. Thanks, Jo, for letting us use them for entertainment!

* * *

**Chapter 1**  
  
"Dad, I've got work. I can't stay!" Ginny hurried out of the room and apparated into the office. A loud 'crack' announced her arrival to a witch dressed in acid green robes. "Excuse me, uh, Ginny Weasley?" asked the woman, sounding annoyed. "Yes," responded Ginny, sounding equally irritated.  
  
"I have a message from the Ministry, to be delivered by hand; not by owl," the woman said, confusing Ginny. Ginny straightened her robes and took a step forward, her hand outstretched. "Okay, who is it from?" she asked curiously. The witch said nothing, but laid the parchment envelope in her hand, turned with a flying of the robe, and disappeared with a crack. Surprised, Ginny turned to the envelope in her hand. Flipping it over in interest, she saw the seal and knew exactly from whom it came. The seal of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office was stamped on the back. Sitting down at her desk, Ginny broke the seal and pulled out the heavy parchment.  
  
Ginny: I know you're probably very busy, but I thought I would invite you to the office for lunch. I need to talk to you. As a brother. I know this sounds strange, but I need to tell you about something and this is really important. So, at about twelve, I want to meet you in the Atrium.  
  
Ron  
  
"Ron! I'm working!" she mumbled to herself in an angry rage. She threw it onto the desk and pulled off her cloak. Straightening her flaming red hair, and picking up the stack of letters ready to be mailed, Ginny rolled her eyes and strolled out of the office. She slowly climbed the stairs to the Owlry, pondering what Ron was dying to speak to her about. Percy was gone and they had worn out the topic with discussion. Hermione was coming back to town, they're already dating, she thought. Unless he's going to ask her to marry him, there's nothing to talk about there. Carefully, she ran through the message in her mind. As she sped through the rest of the note, the phrase 'as a brother' popped out at her. What did that mean? It had something to do with her directly, not something her silly big brother wanted to ask her about. He's crazy, she concluded and continued to go about her work.  
  
"Ginny! Good to see you again!" called Ron from across the Atrium as Ginny neared. He acts like he never sees me any more now that he moved out! she thought. With a roll of the eyes, she gave an aggravated wave. "Glad you came. Where would you like to go for lunch?" he asked as if it were a simple dinner, not as he had sounded like in his note.  
  
"Err, the Leaky Cauldron?" she responded filing into a queue for the Floos. "What is it that you need to talk to me so badly about?"  
  
Glancing over his shoulder, Ron whispered, "Let's not talk about it here. Wait till we get to the bar." Once again, Ginny rolled her eyes as she grabbed a pinch of Floo powder and said clearly, "Diagon Alley!"  
  
"So what's this message all about?" Ginny asked, irritated.  
  
"Listen, Draco Malfoy got his Auror's license," Ron said, like it was the end of the world, just like Hermione's coming back to town was to Ginny.  
  
"So? What's so bad about Draco?" she asked as if this was the most inept response ever given. "You remember Malfoy, don't you?" he asked like she had lost her mind.  
  
"Of course I do. Don't you? Oh, I forgot. That was seventh year," she said like nothing had happened.  
  
"Seventh year? What do you mean 'seventh year'?" asked Ron, furious.  
  
"Oh, nothing." she said, dismissing the subject with a wave of her hand. "So what was is that you wanted to talk to me about?"  
  
"I already told you! Draco!" he nearly shouted.  
  
"I don't understand why this is such a big deal. He's only a rich kid that made trouble for you while you were in school. This isn't a matter of national security; it's you holding a grudge." Ginny crossed her arms in victory. Ron covered his face with his hands and let out a sigh.  
  
"Don't you get it? Draco and the rest of the Malfoy's are just bad news! Why don't you believe me? Just take my advice and stay away from him, okay?!" he sounded upset.  
  
"You know what? I don't care! I'm 21 now! I have a job, I'm mature, and I don't need you to tell me what to do! I've finished my lunch and now I'm going back to work," she stated simply and securely. Quickly, Ginny stood from her seat and, with a twitch of her robes, disapperated.  
  
Mumbling under her breath, Ginny riffled through the letters to be delivered. "Warlock Mortlake...Alastor Moody...Draco Malfoy..." she read in a monotonous voice. Suddenly realising what she had read, she fingered back through the stack of letters to one addressed in red ink. "Draco Malfoy. That's what I thought." Ginny smiled. Just the time to show Ron who is in charge of my life! she thought.  
  
Defiantly, she stomped down the corridor to the Auror's office. Grabbing a hold of the notes addressed to this centre, Ginny strolled down the aisle between the cubicles. Without a word, she dropped the letters in the desks as she passed them, but she only stopped when she reached the cubicle that was quite empty.  
  
A tall man stood right inside the doorway of the small, fabric- walled room. The man had long, flowing blond hair and midnight black robes. Ginny had seen this man before. Quite a few times, in fact. Lucius Malfoy stood in the entrance to his son's compartment, his hand resting on his walking stick, ready to draw his wand at a moments notice. As Ginny peered farther inside the cubicle, she saw the boy, now a man, with the gleaming blond hair he inherited from his father. "Uh, Mr. Malfoy?' she inquired cautiously. Had he continued in his transformation, or had he returned to his old ways? Ginny suspected the latter. Draco's father shoved over in extreme distaste. The boy turned his handsome face towards Ginny and a small smile stretched across his face, but disappeared when he caught sight of his father. "Yeah?" Draco asked in his irritated, stuck up, rich boy voice. "There's a letter here for you," Ginny held out the envelope tentatively. Draco roughly snatched it out of her hand and turned in his chair. Exasperatedly, he ripped open the envelope with a sigh. The letter whisked out of its envelope and Draco unfolded it with a whip of the wrist. His eyes scanned the miniscule handwriting, and when he noticed Ginny still stood in the doorway, he turned around. He gave her a look that told her with out words that he did not understand why she remained. "Could you leave?" he asked in an irritated tone of voice. "Oh, sorry," Ginny replied and bustled out of the cubicle. Her suspicions had been confirmed. Draco had returned to his snobby self. Disappointed, she continued to deliver the remaining letters. When the final memo had been distributed, Ginny returned to her office where she buried her head in her hands. And she remembered.  
  
"Ginny," he whispered in a gentle manner. "Will," she whispered back. "Why do you insist on using my middle name?' he asked. She had been using it for a time now. "I don't know," she shrugged. "I just like it." He snickered and buried his nose in her fierce red hair. She wrapped her hands around his waist and let her muscles relax. They stood there in an empty classroom for what seemed like hours. Then he spoke again. "Why do you hide our relationship from everyone?" he asked in a subdued voice, resting his chin on the top of her head. "It would make my family angry. You know they don't like your family and your family doesn't like mine. Ron went insane when he found out I had my first boyfriend. I'm just glad he's away this semester," she finished with a wistful sigh. "Where'd he go again?" he asked, suddenly turning to look her in the eye. "He went on an exchange trip to America. He's at some school in Pennsylvania, I believe. I think it was called Oak Castle Academy," she responded gently. "Oh, yes. I believe you told me about that when he left. It's so different to have him away. I never really liked him, you know. But it was always nice to have some one around that made life...interesting," he ended thoughtfully. She giggled. Silence followed for another series of uncounted moments. The youths merely longed to be in each other's presence. They never regretted the time they spent together, but few knew of that time. Time stood still when they were alone, but sometimes the silence would be broken by a sudden thought. "Sweetheart?" he asked. "Yes?" she replied. "What do you think will come of us?" the young boy quietly and gently inquired. "I've wondered that myself, Draco," she responded sweetly. "And what do you think?" he asked slowly, as if he were in another world, looking through a dirty window. "I don't know. Time will come and time will go. The question is whether we will be together as the days pass," she responded softly, but the blond boy broke the moment. "I really dislike your philosopher moments!" She giggled.  
  
Ginny walked down the corridor to the girl's toilet and stood in front of the mirror. Her hand reached for the blazing strands of red hair that framed her face. Staring into her own eyes was like looking into the past. The pigment reminded her of it. Grey. Her life always seemed so dark and troubled. Each new year, something new came to make a generally pleasurable time self-destruct. Every day, Ginny was reminded of what she had said to him that day: "Time will come and time will go. The question is whether we will be together as the days pass." Never would she forget that.  
  
The days continued to drag onward. Rows continued to break out during breakfast between Ginny and her father. Each time, Ginny asked herself why she put up with it. She was now of age, she could move out. But she never did. Ginny was not dating. She met few men of her own age, and even rarer were decent ones that her father would allow her to go out with, even if she happened to be 21 and legally an adult. Boys didn't trust her. Most thought her barking mad because of the run in with Lucius Malfoy during her first and last years at Hogwarts. She evaded the topic as much as was possible. Some times a conversation about it was conjured with out her realising it. How much she hated this when it happened. Many boys brought up her father. Famous Arthur Weasley, Minister of Magic, appointed the day Fudge was found dead on the doorstep of his house. This topic was bearable, at times. Some were so obsessed with it that she knew they would never like her for who she was. Ginny hated this. But there had been one boy that she would never forget, that was always there, that was an incredible comfort blanket. But no one knew. What a boy that Draco Malfoy had been. Under his tough exterior he was kind and mature, friendly and silent, loving and sweet. But no one knew. A boy that would bring tears to your eyes for no reason at all and then wipe them away with a smile, a boy that would make you laugh and then massage your shoulders when they began to ache, a boy that was perfect when no one could tell on him. But no one knew. Only Ginny. Ginny loathed her former self. A carefree child she had been just four years ago, roaming the halls and secret passageways of a castle school that no one could see unless they possessed the magical powers that made you a witch or wizard. Safety rested in the walls of that castle, along with so many other things. Magical feasts, only mildly boring classes, tower dormitories. But most importantly, what Ginny thought what might be the love of her life: Draco. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Days passed and Ginny became more and more determined to make Draco re- become the boy she had fallen in love with. Two weeks after the meeting with Draco and his father, Ginny found another letter in the delivery stack, addressed for the ex-Slytherin.

Ginny exited her office and boldly marched down the corridor to the lifts. She punched the 'up' button and the lift suddenly began to rise. The tiny room was empty and silent. Ginny leaned against a wall and slowly slid to the floor. She covered her face with her hands and tears began to spill onto her palms and down her cheeks.

Then, with a rough hand, she wiped away the tears and scrubbed at her features with a robe sleeve. "Why am I crying?" she asked her self aloud. "I have nothing to cry about. I should not be crying." Carefully she rubbed her face clean of tear stains before the lift reached the next floor.

The gates opened and a man stood just beyond the opening. A man with slick, silvery-blond hair. Ginny stepped out of the lift and began to look through the letters. "Oh, Mr Malfoy. I have a letter here for you," she announced as she riffled through the letters she promptly spilled all over their feet. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I-I..."

"No worries! I've got them," Draco knelt down beside Ginny who was scrambling to gather the spewing notes. The two collected the post in silence, until Draco's hand laid on top of Ginny's purely by accident. The pair of young adults brought their eyes up to meet each others'. His silvery eyes landed upon her grey-specked brown ones. Warmth swept through Ginny's body accompanied by fear.

Without thinking, Ginny quickly broke the eye contact and shoved an envelope into Draco's startled hand. "Your letter, good-bye," she said as if she were lingering in a world that they could not break free of. With the undelivered mail bundled in her arms, Ginny quickly backed into the still-open lift.

When the gates clanked closed and the lift descended, Ginny turned and stood in the corner, belittling her self. What had she done? She had broken the exact contact she had wanted. A silent tear streaked down her pale cheek, the salty taste lingering on her lips.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
"Ron, I need to talk to you," Ginny said as she scampered into the tiny Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office.

"What? What is it? What's wrong? Are you okay?" asked Ron, a look of deepest concern etched on his face as he spun around in his squeaking chair. He stood up and suddenly dwarfed Ginny.

"I'm fine," she looked down at the paper strewn floor. When she finished examining a photo of a movie camera, Ginny looked up into the worried face of her brother, and smiled. "Please, just sit down. I don't like it when you're a foot and a half taller than me."

With a smile and an embarrassed "sorry," Ron sat down and turned toward Ginny, who had sat at his partner's desk. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, you know how you warned me when Draco made the Auror's?" she asked sheepishly.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with you? You told me it wasn't a big deal," Ron replied.

Ginny scratched the top of her head. "Well, the reason it didn't matter to me was because there was something that happened that you don't know about."

"What? Ginny—you didn't, you know, did you?" Ron asked with the air that something wasn't right with his little sister.

"NO! Nothing like that! Well, sort of. You know when you went to America for that semester in your seventh year?" Ginny asked.

"Of course I do. It was great. Why?" Ronald was completely baffled by now.

"Well, that semester, I kind of, fell in love," Ginny said awkwardly.

"You know that I've gotten over the shock of you dating after my fifth year, right?" Ron asked as if this was very droll, but then it suddenly dawned on him what Ginny was trying to tell him. "YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH DRACO MALFOY?!" Words suddenly failed him as he shouted out his dismay.

"Well, err, yeah," she mumbled guiltily. Ron stood up and started pacing the tiny office, not much bigger than a broom cupboard. Mumbling in French, he frazzled his hair and loosened the collar of his robes. Ginny cradled her head in her hands and watched Ron pace awkwardly. Free papers scattered around his nervous feet, one floating on to Ginny's foot. She bent down to pick up the document, shifting posters and diagrams out of the way. Turning it over, she suddenly recognised it. It was a photo of the family. The whole family.

She was a mere baby, sitting next to her mother, who looked 20 years younger. Ron, new at standing unaided, stood warily on her other side, rocking from side to side. Fred and George had switched jumpers at the young age of four to trick any one who couldn't tell them apart. Ginny laughed as she watched them plant a spider on Ron's head. Percy was his usual neat and proper seven-year-old. It must have been the only photo he hadn't walked out of. A broomstick slung over one shoulder, Charlie looked as masculine as ever. Standing next to him was Bill, before the pierced ear and long hair. His hair still mirrored his rebellious nature, though. He had it dirty and shaggy, nothing that their parents saw appropriate for such a handsome young boy. And next to the oldest brother stood their father, looking the same as ever, muggle plugs spewing from his pockets.

Ginny smiled. She missed the times when they were just the big happy family of nine. Every one lived at home. Dad wasn't doing dangerous missions for the Order or the Ministry. Mum wasn't crying over Percy and Bill wasn't dating Fleur Delacour. Ron didn't speak French and she wasn't in complete heart ache over Draco. She turned the photo over, Ron still mumbling indistinguishable French. Ginny's eyes fell upon an inscription in her father's scrawl. "Ron—Never forget..."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
Ginny excused herself from Ron's office while he continued to ramble in words she could not understand. She felt like a complete idiot. Why had she told him?  
  
When Ginny arrived back at her office, a man was waiting. Draco stood looking out the enchanted windows. When he heard the door open, he turned on his heel and faced Ginny. "Hi. I haven't seen you for a time," he said.  
  
"I know. Are you back?" she asked cautiously.  
  
Draco didn't answer, but instead walked over to Ginny and put his arms about her waist. Gently he kissed her and looked deeply into her eyes. "Does that answer your question?"  
  
Ginny, looking ashamed, smiled. "Not exactly," she paused and Draco tilted his head as if he didn't understand. "Where were you a few days ago? When your dad was there?"  
  
"Oh, then...I'm sorry about that. I really am. It's my dad. You never told your dad about us, and I never told mine. He doesn't know what happened that year and how I've changed. I'm sorry," he said with a heavy sigh as he laid his head on the top of hers.  
  
"I suppose it's alright, but I need to talk to you if we are going to have a relationship again. Sit." Ginny guided him to sit in her chair. She took his hands in hers, and stood before him. "First, do you want to be in this relationship again?"  
  
"Yes, Ginny, yes!" he said enthusiastically as he rose from his chair. "It is the only thing I want. That is everything I want."  
  
Ginny cut him off. "Wait." Draco looked around like a young deer caught in the headlights. "I can tell you want it," she pushed him back into the chair, "but are you willing to work for it? This relationship is going to be hard, no matter how much we want to go right."  
  
"Ginny, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you for the last four years. Ever since I left Hogwarts, I have felt like a part of me is missing. You hear the stories about the old men who lost their legs in war and in the middle of the night, they wake up to scratch the leg that has been dust for forty years. That's how I feel. I roll over in the middle of the night, hoping that you will be next to me. But you aren't there, and I need you. I miss you," he ended rather lamely, near to tears.  
  
"Then why didn't you write to me, or visit, or anything? Were you too busy? Too busy for the person you seem to not have stopped thinking about? Why?" Ginny asked as she fell to her knees at his feet.  
  
Draco joined her on the floor. Lifting her chin to look into her eyes, he said, "I was scared. I was afraid of what my father would say, of what your father would say, what you would say."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"After we broke up at the end of the year, I didn't know how you would feel about me contacting you after that."  
  
"Oh," Ginny said and laid her forehead on Draco's shoulder.  
  
"I pray you can forgive me. I am truly sorry."  
  
"I forgive you. I trust you will never do it again," she said as she looked him in the eyes again. Draco nodded sheepishly. "But there is something else we need to discuss."  
  
"What is it, sweetheart?"  
  
"Your father."  
  
"Let's not talk about him right now. Let's talk about us," Draco began but was quickly cut off by Ginny.  
  
"No. We need to talk about this now," she said sternly.  
  
Draco looked defeated. He looked into her eyes and said, "Alright," he sighed and continued. "My father doesn't know I have changed, as I already told you. I don't know how to tell him or how he will react or what will happen when he finds out or..." he began going off on a tangent like Ron had just a little before.  
  
"Hey!" Ginny calmed. "Relax. It will be alright. Trust me."  
  
"I do. But I'm afraid. You know what my father is capable of. If he thinks I've changed sides and fallen in love with the daughter of the man he most despises, he could and might as good as kill me."  
  
Ginny brought his worried head down on her shoulder and shushed him. Rocking gently, she hugged him. "I love you." 


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Ginny stood at the front door of the Burrow, clenching Draco's hand. Breathing deeply and feeling like she was about to throw up, she laid her hand of the door knob of the Dutch door. She clenched her eyes shut and slowly opened it.

Arthur Weasley stood at the sink, flicking dishes around with his wand. Molly Weasley peeled potatoes into the dry sink. She was watching Bill and Charlie set up a table in the garden. Ginny could see Harry sitting on the garden wall with a pretty, young girl of about 19. Fleur Delacour stood nearby looking as high-maintenance as ever.

Ron and Hermione emerged from a side corridor. Ron's eyes fell upon Ginny and then slid down to the hand that gripped Draco's. The smile slid off his face as he looked in to Ginny's eyes. "Hullo, Ginny!" he said, trying to sound cheerful, but failing. Molly and Arthur whirled around, as they had not noticed them enter.

Mrs Weasley grinned widely before she noticed who stood next to her. Her gaze drifting toward him, the beam fell to a straight face. The response was the same with her father.

Molly tried to be brave and not assume the worst about the situation, although it was obvious it was hard for her. "Well, erm, dinner will be in the garden tonight..." Rather awkwardly, she half-pointed to the back door. Ginny understood. She led Draco out the door towards the garden. As they left the kitchen, Ginny heard Ron trying to comfort her silent, nearly hysterical mother. She felt horrible. Springing such a shocking picture on them must be a big surprise. Draco saw her rather stressed and slightly queasy look and took that moment to gather her into his arms and giver her a mighty hug, rubbing her back gently. Feeling like she should cry, she didn't. Instead, she inhaled deeply, trying to prepare herself for a very difficult evening.

Harry had come up behind Draco. Ginny, whose face was hidden in his shoulder, didn't see him. "Ginny?" She looked up and saw his concerned and worried features. His deeply furrowed brows cast heavy wrinkles in his forehead. Riddled with fret, his crystal green eyes begged to be of help.

"Harry!" Ginny flew from Draco's arms and into Harry's. He gathered her into his embrace, stroking her glowing hair with his finger tips. It had been so long...so long indeed. Draco stepped back a few steps, running a nervous hand through his hair. He felt very awkward. Feeling a small need to say some thing, he started a few times, but never found it in him self to make a move.

Harry lifted Ginny's chin and looked into her eyes. "It is _so_ good to see you again." He gazed into her eyes. Ginny looked back into them.

"I missed your eyes," Ginny threw her arms around his neck and squeezed. Suffocated, Harry gasped for breath, and then pulled her off of his neck. He glanced rather guiltily at Draco. He still despised him, but if Ginny was dating him...

"Are you two," Harry moved a finger between Ginny and Draco, "...dating?"

Ginny nodded as did Draco. Harry looked rather like words had failed him. He looked from one face to another, appearing to be attempting to find some thing appropriate to say.

Fortunately, Molly appeared at that point with a platter piled high with fried chicken. Ginny was suddenly struck by the realisation that there were fewer chickens in the front yard.

The family sat down at the tables Bill and Charlie had set up. Arthur sat at the head, with Molly next to him. Charlie sat across from his mother. Pulling out the chair next to Charlie, Bill helped Fleur into a seat and then helped him self to a remaining chair next to her. Ron and Hermione walked hand in hand to seats next to Molly. Harry and his little girl friend sat next to them. Ginny looked around her to see Fred and George appear from the alley way in their signature dragon-hide vests. _They must have been testing some thing...again, _she thought. Laughing and playfully punching each other, they grabbed the two seats next to Harry, Fred sitting in his backwards.

There were no other options left for Ginny and Draco. With out a word, they seated them selves at the opposite end of the table, feeling very much like all eyes were upon them. Silently, the family spooned out potatoes and chicken, vegetables and fruit. For minutes upon minutes, Ginny sat in a haze, not listening in the slightest to Fred and George talk about their booming business. As always, they never seemed to notice when no one was paying attention, or when some thing more weighing on the family's minds.

The twins finally fell silent. It seemed they had caught on at last. Ginny reached around for Draco's hand. Trembling slightly, she gripped until the tips of his fingers turned white. She felt like she might throw up every thing right there at the dinner table. "Dad, Mum, every body, I'd like you to meet," she took a deep breath and pulled her self together. "Draco. We are, uh, dating." Ginny stopped. Looking from face to face, she awaited the explosion.

When in didn't come, she started to release Draco's hand. Her back, which had been straight and stiff, started to slacken and hunch. Draco's perfect hair seemed to slump. Strands slid down over his forehead. They were both wondering: how bad would the shouting be?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

Ginny ran out the door, tears streaming down her face, with Draco chasing after her. He called out to her. He wanted to help; he wanted to be a comfort.

She ran, her hard-soled shoes echoing loudly on the flagstone path. A few moments later, her foot caught a ridge and she tumbled to the ground. Falling in a crumpled pile, she sobbed silently and heavily. Draco rushed to her, knelt down beside her and wrapped his arms around her, cradling her gently. He comforted her while he rocked her with slow, tender motion. As she began to quiet, he picked her up like a baby and walked her out of sight of the house, into the nearby grove of trees.

They found a stump just inside the grove and he sat down with her again. Kissing her gently on her forehead, he said nothing. He didn't know what to say anyway. As he searched for something to say to comfort his darling, Ginny managed to choke out, "I'm sorry."

His face fell in a way of misplaced blame. "No, no, it's my fault. If I hadn't had come back…" He trailed off. It was true, if he hadn't come back, none of this would have happened.

But he couldn't stay away. She was too beautiful, too wonderful. She had grabbed his heart too tightly to ever allow him to let go. Everyday he had dreamt of her, thought of her, longed to be in her presence again. His heart ached to just be able to hold her gentle frame in his arms again. Somehow, he got such pleasure out of holding her, out of being her protector. But it had been so long since he could last do that…too long.

It pained him beyond belief when she hurt. It must have hurt him to the point of heartbreak to see her melt there in his arms. That protection he wanted more than anything to give her was shattered, here, right in front of him. His person, his name, his physical being was worth nothing against her family. All he had to give her now was his heart. And he fully intended to do so.


End file.
